Answers to Your College Questions

Posted by Diane Melville on Tuesday, 07 May 2013 in College

Community college is a very popular topic right now. And with popularity comes rumors and misconceptions. Selecting an educational path is a big decision, and before you make that decision (or help someone to make that decision) it’s important to have a clear understanding of the alternatives. So, to put an end to some of these misconceptions, here is a list of the most common myths about community colleges!

Myth #1: Community College Students Can’t Transfer into Ivy League Institutions

False! While I can’t quote exact numbers (to my knowledge this data is not tracked), I can tell you anecdotally that Ivy League transfer is not only possible, but probable with the right guidance. Community college transfer students are proven, mature students and are more likely to graduate than incoming freshmen. Don’t take my word for it, UCLA’s Alfred Herrera said this to the College Board on the topic of transfers:

Posted by Dr. Gary Gruber on Monday, 29 April 2013 in Test Prep

Can you answer this month's SAT Question? Learn the strategies to solve any SAT problem in Gruber's Complete SAT Guide 2013.

Posted by College Countdown on Wednesday, 24 April 2013 in Paying for College

By Todd Weaver

How much of your financial aid award is “gift aid” versus “self-help?” Does it matter? How can you tell a good award from a bad one?

Posted by College Countdown on Tuesday, 09 April 2013 in College Admissions

If you were fortunate enough to have been accepted to multiple colleges, you may have a difficult decision ahead of you: choosing which school to attend. Here’s what three of our experts believe you should consider when narrowing your choices and ultimately making your final college decision.

Keep cost in mind.

Frank Palmasani, author of Right College, Right Price

Posted by Frank Palmasani on Wednesday, 03 April 2013 in Paying for College

Now that we are well into spring, it is that time of the year for seniors and their parents to receive college financial aid award letters. Of course, with the costs of colleges as they are, these official award letters offer critical pieces of information to help families determine their final college choice—a decision that must be made by May 1st.

Follow these five steps as you read your college award letter (or look to the sample award letter provided below) to ensure that you understand the exact amount each college will cost.

Posted by Edward B. Fiske on Monday, 01 April 2013 in College

Today being April Fool’s Day, perhaps it is fitting to recall some of the more ingenious contributions to the distinguished tradition of campus pranks.

The Prank That Started It All: The Police Car Hack

On the last day of classes in 1994, students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology woke up to an amazing sight: a campus police car resting at the top of the 150-foot Great Dome in the center of the campus, with its flashing lights slowly rotating. By early morning, media helicopters were circling overhead, and word of the prank was spreading around the world.

Posted by Diane Melville on Monday, 25 March 2013 in Paying for College

If you have no idea what you are doing, asking for a letter of recommendation for a scholarship application can be kind of a nerve-wracking experience. Who should you ask? When should you ask? How can you tell if someone is going to write you a good letter of recommendation or a terrible one? Whether you’re a high school student going to college for the first time or a community college student transferring to a four-year institution, knowing how to get the best letter of recommendation possible can make all the difference. Luckily, I have all of the answers for you neatly packaged into this blog post!

Ask the Right People:

The “right person” depends on the purpose of the letter of recommendation. For scholarship applications, the readers want confirmation that you are indeed a good student—an educator is typically the right person to convey this message about you.

Posted by Dr. Gary Gruber on Tuesday, 19 March 2013 in Test Prep

See if you can find the answer to this SAT question. Be sure to work through the entire problem—the most obvious choice may not always be the correct one.

Posted by Edward B. Fiske on Thursday, 14 March 2013 in Choosing Colleges

Planning college visits for this spring or summer? Why not build in some tourism? Here is a list of 10 campuses that are worth visiting for their architectural interest and scenic beauty alone.

Posted by Frank Palmasani on Wednesday, 06 March 2013 in Paying for College

After filing your FAFSA (your Free Application for Federal Student Aid), you will receive a very important number in your Student Aid Report—your EFC. The EFC, or your Expected Family Contribution number, is critically important to determining the cost of your college options.   But many families don’t understand what this number actually means and how colleges use it.

So what is the EFC? Look to these four commonly asked questions to fully understand your EFC and how it will affect your college costs.